Closure-operator



Sept. 21, 1954 F. A. PURDY 2,639,725

. CLOSURE-OPERATOR Filed llay 11, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sept. 21, 1954 F. A. PURDY CLOSURE-OPERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet :2

Filed May 11, 1951 INVENTOBP F. A. PURDY CLOSURE- OPERATOR Sept. 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 11. 195] l /llill\\ se ml, 1954 F. A. mam .6 3 6 CLOSURE-OPERATOR Filed May 11, 1951 r 4 Sheets-Sheqt 4 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to closure-operators, and has particular reference to devices for opening, closing, and controlling the operation of, doors of garages, and of similar building-structures.

Objects of the invention are economy in manufacture and in installation, simplicity in design, and dependability in use. Other objects will become apparent in the development of the description.

The instant mechanism is an improvement over the devices disclosed in my prior Patents 2,062,015, issued November 24, 1936, and 2,127,376, issued August 16, 1938, and is an improvement upon or an alternative to the devices described in my peniding applications, Serial Numbers 139,081 and 139,082, filed January 17, 1950.

Drawings A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a tirecontacted air-pump;

Figure 2 is a top View and Figure 3 a side view of the rearward end of the overhead mechanism with parts in position as prior to an opening of the doors;

Figure 2-11 is a top view and Figure 3-4: a side view of the forward end of the overhead mechanism with parts in position, as after an automatic opening of the doors; 1

Figure 4 is an end View in line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing certain features of novelty in this invention;

Figure 5 is a side View of an alternative airi actuator applying to an electricswitch; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the winding of the door closing cable.

General outline fled in drawings of this application are identifiecl by characters of reference the same as used in the co-pending applications. Functions described in the co-pending applications are not gone into here in detail, superficially it may be noted that the design here shown, as in the co-pending applications, has its door-operating mechanism located overhead in a frame of channel-form 40, supporting by brackets I and Lil a track upon which slide runners 48 and 5!], with arms 27 extending to the doors from runner 18, and cables I00 and H32 running over respective sheave-wheels and 8G to sheavewheels on a weight-bracket at the garage-wall supporting two motive weights, an openingweight and a closing-weight. Instead of setting 01? means shown in the co-pending applications, a road-wheel contact-unit is used which corresponds to but does not resemble that in my Patent 2,127,376.

As used in reference to any part of the overhead mechanism, the word forward means in the direction of the lintel-bracket 94', and the Word rearward means in the direction of the actuator bracket 232.

It may be observed that in my co-pending application Serial No. 139,082 the single aircushion acting two ways is located at the rearward end of the frame, while in this application it is located at the forward end.

Tire-contact air-pump and connections The tire-contactair-pump is imbedded in the driveway that approaches the doorway of the garage, as a means of transmitting to the overhead mechanism an, impulse that sets off the door-operator. This consists essentially of a cylinder 13 of pliant material, such as rubber, located across the path of the road-wheels on one side of the car, connected to a pipe 1 I0 that communicates into the garage.

In my preferable design cylinder I3 is closed air tight at both ends by plugs of rubber cemented in, one plug l5 having a hole into which is cemented air-tight the pipe H0 of rust resistant material. The cylinder I3 is fastened at either end by pipe straps 12-?) to a base 4 of wood. A protective top I0 is held by metal strips l2-a, on either side, fastened into the base 4 by screws l2-c. This protective top is made of rubber and fabric to a stiffness that allows of only a partial and ineffective depression by foot while allowing of full effective depression by the car wheel. Base 4 is imbedded by concrete in the driveway, the concrete coming up to a level somewhat below the middle line of the cylinder 13 so that the top l0 forms a half round convexity above the level of the driveway.

Within the garage a flexible tubing [09 is cemented into the pipe I 10 this tubing extending upward and across to the overhead mechanism and to the rearward end of that where it appears in Figures 2 and 3.

The air-actuator The actuator, at rearward end of frame, Figures 2 and 3 consists of a cylinder 2% closed at one end by cap 230 and gasket 231 and-closed and supported at the other end by bracket 232 fastened to frame 40, the bracket 232 and cap 230 being tied together by four studs 233 outside the cylinder. Inside the cylinder is a piston comprising a backing 236, a leather 231, an expander 238, and a washer 239 mounted on piston rod 235 and held to that by cotter-pins 239. The design of the piston is substantially that shown in my co-pending application Serial Number 139,081. A rod 242 engages into piston-rod outside the bracket 232 and extends to trigger 42 later described into which it connects pivotally. A nipple 234 through cap 23!! has tube "39 cemented into it, so that air pressed from the tire-contact pump, Fig. 1, is conveyed into the cylinder 23 to press against the piston.

The arrangement of the tire-contact pump and the actuator differs from the means observed at some gasoline vending stations in which a rubber hose lying in the path of vehicles is pressed upon by the road-wheels of the vehicles to transmit air to close an electric relay in the electricsupply circuit to ring a bell. The difference is in the size of the tire-contact cylinder and in the idea of applying the principle of hydraulics to a compressible gas such as air. Using a tubing of a convenient cross-section and a tire-contact pump of given diameter, it was found that the pressure upon a piston having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the tubing would not lift an ounce. (Of course, the veriest fraction of an ounce is enough to close an electric relay.) By using an enlarged chamber for the piston, the air-pressed by the same tire-contact pump through, the same size of tubing was found to lift far more. Through a considerable range of piston-sizes, it was found that the lift is proportional to the size of the cylinder and a size was developed to lift 3 pounds, well beyond the needs in setting off a dooroperator.

The obtaining of the required power at'the actuator end of the tubing is not a matter merely of increasing the size of the'hose used in the prior art. Where the hose is of uniform diameter throughout, volume at the actuator end is lost in the compression that occurs within the hose. An appreciable distance is required for practical purposes between the tire-contact and the actuator. lwenty feet from the doorway is about a minimum for placement of the wheel-contact, and twenty feet more are needed within the garage. To transmit air this distance at a required pressure the tubing to the garage must be restricted in diameter in relation to the diameter of the wheel-contact air-pump, so that a relatively high rate of compression is obtained within the tubing, somewhat as the higher voltages in electric wire transmit the more current.

Air-actuator applying to an electric switch Rod 242 could be applied to throw the lever of an electric switch such as described in reference to Figure 4 of my co-pending application, Serial No. 139,082, or such as may be used with any door-operator driven by electric motor. A variation in application of the hydra li p n- 4 ciple is shown in Figure 5, appropriate to a shorter distance of actuating movement. A diaphragm 245 of pliant material such as thin rubber is capped on one end of a thick walled rubber tube 2-44 and cemented air-tight to the outside walls of the tube. Into the other end of the tube a nipple 246 is cemented and into that hose H39 is cemented. The nipple is threaded through a bracket 24? and locked on by nut 2M Bracket 247 carries also electric switch 253' of which handle 248 is in contact with the diaphragm. The air-pressure from the tire-contact pump causes the diaphragm to bulge out against the handle 248 to throw the latter. This action may close a circuit to a solenoid or close the circuit directly to an electric motor. A spring may be provided to throw off the switch where a solenoid is used, or the drive by the electric motor may throw off the switch when the door reaches the termination of its movement, as will appear in my patent application upon motoroperated doors shortly to be filed.

Belt-cable control of grapnel In my co-pending application Ser. No. 139,081 and in Patent 2,127,376 an arrow-hook 63 i is used by which to engage the closing-weights cable 602 upon a lug or jaws attached to runner as; and in my co-pending application Ser. No. 139,082 a pair of clutch members 2 l6 and 2| l in scissors formation engage upon clutch-element 53 for the same purpose. These means are effective so long as gravity by the weight upon the cable is not interferred with. But progress in the use of garages has introduced one or more garbage-cans into the corner in which the weights may be located and placement of these cans is not at all times clear of the weights. So that when the door-closing motive weight in its downward course comes to rest upon an obstruction such as a garbage-can and the movement of runner 48 continues under momentum, the hold upon the member 53 is disengaged. The clutching or grabbing means then falls to the floor of the channel-frame it and upon the weight being dropped to the floor of the garage the grabbing means in co-pending application Ser. No. 139,032 may not find its way correctly into brackets and 97; or in co-pending application Ser. No. 139,081 orPatent 2,127,376 may plunge into its fulcrum with such force as to break itself or its fulcrum or the cable 162.

In Figures 2, 2-11, 3, and 3-a of this application the cable H32 shown to run through the grapnel 44, (held to the cable by set-screws, and thus adjustable endwise), and to extend forward to sheave-wheel 86, around that sheave-wheel and rearward to a swivel we and a spring Hi5 that engages by cotter-pin H06 to a shifter 536 which is in place on that part of cable Hi2 which is on the farther side of the assembly, and is held in place by set-screws, and is adjustable endwise on the cable. The train of these parts with cable I02 forms an endless belt around sheave-wheels 83 and 86 so that, when the grapnel 44 moves forward with runner 48, cable 182 on the grapnels side moves forward, while cable E02 on the far side moves rearward. Spring I95 has the purpose of maintaining a tension upon cable H12 in its belted strand, so that it holds grapnel 44 at a level that is normal for its lodgement at the lug 53 attached to runner 48. Lug 53 is punched with an orifice 53 shaped as shown in Fig. 4 to alford bearing for grapnel 44 at the sides and bottom, and to admit passagethrough of grapnel 44 above the normal level. This orifice in lug 53 prevents the escape of cable I02 at all times. The purpose of swivel D4 is to allow for twisting of cable I02. Cables after being put into use gradually twist to relieve them selves of strains set up in manufacture.

Spring I01 and buffer I08 take the shock to avoid breakage of parts as weight 9! drops to the floor in any irregular escape of grapnel 4% through the orifice 53'. Buffer I08 is formed of two pieces of sheet-metal riveted together and to frame 40 affording a slot I 08 (Fig. 3a) through which cable I02 passes on its way to sheave- Wheel 84, which slot confines the cable to bring the spring I01, pressed forward by shifter I85, positively against the buffer. The slot affords an area side to side that admits of the cable Hi2 taking a non-frictional position within it whichever direction cable IGZ may take in going around sheave 34, whether toward the right or left of doorway according to the wall upon which the bracket for motive weights is mounted.

Trigger.

Trigger 42 pivots on the threads .of a screw 56 which is held in threads of a hole in flange of frame 49 and locked by nut 56'. lhe trigger consists of an upward extending lever 42' and a leaf 42" normally horizontal formed to a right angle for threading and for riveting to the lever 42. Both lever and leaf are threaded for the bearing on screw 56. The top-end of the lever receives rod 242 for actuation of the trigger from the air-actuator, the operational movement of the trigger being rearward with rod 242. The leaf 42 lies both rearward and forward of pivot 56 so that upon rearward movement of the top of lever 42 the rearward side of leaf moves downward and the forward side upward. Through a hole in the lever 42' the pull-rod 65 is connected so that rearward movement of the lever moves also the tappet 2.5 (Figs. Z-a and 3-a) rearward for release of the latch 24'. By pull-rod G5 and spring 54, aided by vacuum within cylinder 234, the trigger is returned after actuation to the normal position indicated in Fig. 3.

Pivoted upon and riding with runner 48 is a depressor 46 normally held by spring4ii (Fig. 3) upward in horizontal line against the under side of lug 53. transmit to latch 50 the downward movement of the rearward side of trigger leaf 42", to release latch 60 and runner 5B, and to do this only when the runner 43 is rearward on the track adjacent to runner 5d. The depressor moves away with runner 48 when that runner is drawn forward in manual operation, leaving runner 5i} rearward, so that with the runners in those positions a trigger pull releases latch 24' but not latch Gil.

The upward movement of the forward side of trigger-leaf 42" lifts cable I 02 and grapnel 44 so that the grapnel clears its hold on lug 53 in a timed relation to the release of latch 65, and frees runner 48 to move forward under pressure from runner 5Q applied to cable If!!! by the openingweight. When the runner 48 is drawn forward in manual operation, leaving runner 50 rearward, grapnel 44 goes with it so that while the runners are in those positions the upward lift of the forward side of trigger-leaf 42 upon cable I02 has no effect to release the grapnel.

Cushion-setter In automatic operation of doors the termination of the closing movement is cushioned by the The purpose of this depressor is to e piston-rod H8 being pulled rearward in cylinder 7 I20, whereupon the piston is left in position to move forward in the cylinder to cushion the termination of the opening movement.

But as noted in text of application Serial Number 139,082, under the caption Single Air- Cushion Acting Two-Ways, a partial movement of doors by hand fails to position the piston for cushioning if the user releases the doors before moving them into fully open or fully closed position. The purpose of the cushion-setter I I I is to move the piston-rod H8 rearward at the beginning of manual closing movement, and forward at the beginning of a manual opening movement, so that the piston will be set to cushion any reverse movement incident to the release of the doors in manual operation to permit them to reverse direction.

Setter III pivots at 52" on runner 48. It has a horn H3 pressed into it and riveted over. It carries an upper paw III which consists of an extension-spring wound to coincide with a screwthread and screwed into a threaded hole in setter III and locked by nut III. It carries a lower paw II 2 held in the same way, locked by nut H2". Its upper end normally tends toward bumper 47 under stress of spring I I3 (Fig. 3) so that its lower or horizontal end normally tends downward upon grapnel 4d and towards cable I82.

On the rod 1 I5 a washer I I4 is held by cotterpins H4 and H4". Rod H5 at its forward end, Figures 27-0. and 3-a, has a groove H5 turned in it.

If the doors are to be opened by hand the cushion setter III will be in the position shown in Figure 3. Its horn H3, resting on the grapnel 44 will hold its upper paw III in line for engagement with the washer H4. Upon engagement the resistance by the piston and rod I I5 will make the paw HI rest downward in the corner between the washer and the rod-end H5. The adjustment of ties I29 at cylinder I29 is such that when air is compressed with a rush, as by the doors moving rapidly toward the end of their opening movement, the compression is quick and adequate to arrest the door movement; but that when air is compressed slowly, as in manual handling of the doors, it escapes without perceptible resistance. Accordingly the paw I I I is enabled, without its having to be unduly rigid, to move the piston forwardin manual opening. When the piston comes to a stop at the forward end of cylinder iZd, the paw springs upward and over the washer I M which is circular and may be observed in Figure 4 to have its periphery slanting off towards horizontal at the point where the center line of the rounded and flexible paw contacts it, so that a rearward yield of the paw is translated into an upward yield to escape over the washer. When the setter I I I, traveling with runner 48, reaches its fully forward position its horn H3 still is bearing on the grapnel. So that in automatic closing, whether door is released by hand-pressure to overcome the latch 24, or by trigger to release the same latch, the rod H5 will not be engaged to cushion the closing action until the doors approach the end of the closing movement. But if the doors should not have been opened by hand and should have been opened by the release of the opening weight the grapnel 4 would have remained rearward in its position shown in Figure 3, and thus the horn H3 would have settled under stress of spring M3 to rest upon cable I62. In this position paw III would have lifted out of the way of washer H4, and

after paw H2 had cleared the same washer, (there being a distance of travel by horn I I3 upon the grapnel 44) paw I I2 would have been in position to engage into the groove I I. With both motive-weights then in a lower position the next door-movement must be a manual one in resetting, at the beginning of which the engagement by paw H2 in groove II5" moves: the piston rearward, setting it for cushioning of any reverse movement of doors occasioned by release of the hand application in re-setting.

Track pocket In Figure 4 the pocket for the track 45 at the upper end of track-bracket I30 is shown to be open above the track except for a nubbin I30 which reaches out to confine the track. The track is of considerable length so that it may be twisted by hand for convenient insertion or removal. The procedure is first to insert the forward end of the track through the rectangular hole that is punched for it in bracket I3I, then to twist the rearward end of the track by hand to press under the nubbin the corner of it that is formed by the tracks vertical and horizontal flanges, then to let the horizontal flange slip down along the vertical right-hand side of the pocket right-hand as seen in Figure 4. Removal of the track is by the reverse of this procedure.

Automatic shut- 0 7 o 1 electric current In my co -pending application Serial No. 139,082 there are shown means for closing an electric circuit to a solenoid which effects the trigger-pull to set off the door-operator. When the car is within the garage, as during the night, it is, of value to prevent operation of any dooroperator that uses electric current for set-01f or motivation.

In any door-operator using radio waves from the car for setting off, it is an economy to have the radio-receiver shut oif when the car is within the garage.

In Figures 2, 3, and. 4, 250" is an electric switch of conventional character having a handle 250 that opens the circuit when moved forward and closes the circuit when moved rearward. Mounted pivotally on the threads of a screw 252 fastened to a bracket 25I welded to the top of runner 5.0, is a pendant consisting of a tubing 255 into the lower end of which is pressed a paw 256 of extension-spring material. Above and forward of pivot 252 is a stop 253 for the upper end of tube 255 which prevents the lower end of tube 255 and paw 255 from moving out of vertical in the rearward direction While allowing the lower end and the paw 256 to move freely in the forward direction.

Handle 250 is thrown rearward by shifter Itfi on cable I02 when atmanual opening of the doors, as to get the car out, grapnel 44 moves forward with runner 4'3, and shifter I86 moves rearward. The electric circuit thus is closed in readiness for actuation or motivation of the doors. Upon the closing of the doors, shifter I06 moves forward away from handle 25E! leaving the switch closed. Upon automatic set-off to open the doors the latch 56 for runner 50 is released while the grapnel 44 remains rearward having escaped through the forward moving orifice 53, as described in reference to trigger 52; and the shifter I86 remains forward. The ensuing forward movement of runners 50 and 48 to open the doors, brings paw 256 forward to throw handle 25D forward and open the circuit. The spring-character of the paw permits it to ride forward over the handle when the latter stops at its fully thrown position. Both weights now are discharged and the circuit is open. Upon manual closing of the doors the paw 256 rides over handle 25!] without effect and falls to vertical rearward of the handle. It is not until the doors again are opened by hand, as to get the car out, that the electric cir cuit again is closed by the bearing of the shifter I06 against handle 250.

Operation The operation of each of the novel features herein shown has been treated in the text de' scribing each.

Further recitation of operation would largely duplicate that text and the text appearing in my co-pending application Ser. No. 139,081 and Patent 2,127,376.

I claim:

1. In combination, a garage door manually movable between open and closed positions, energy storing means biasing the door to closed position when opened normally, latch means holding the manually opened door open, an elastic air pump of relatively large volume disposed in a position to be crossed by a vehicle tire passing over the same, an air cylinder of relatively large volume provided with a movable spring retracted piston and connected to the air pump by a relatively small diameter tube so that the air expelled from the pump is transmitted to the cylinder to apply pressure against the face of the piston to stress the retracting spring, and piston actuated means to release the latch means so that the energy storing means closes the door.

2. The combination of claim 1, having energy storing means biasing the door to open position when closed manually, a second latch means holding the manually closed door closed, and piston actuated means to release the second latch means.

so that the manually closed door opens.

3. The combination such as claimed in claim 1, having a first recip-rocable runner movable in unison with the door and cooperating With the first latch means, a second reciprocable runner cooperating with the second latch and movable by the first runner into latched position when the door is closed manually.

4. The combination such as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first energy storing means includes a cable carrying a member normally engageable with the first runner to pull the cable in one direction when the door is opened and pull the door closed when unlatched, and piston actuated means to disconnect the cable carried member and first energy storing means from the first runner when releasing the second latch so that the second runner can actuate the first runner and close the door.

5. In combination, a garage door manually movable between open and closed positions, means to latch the manually opened door in open position, means to condition the door for automatic closing when manually opened, means to latch the manually closed door in closed position, means to condition the door for automatic opening when manually closed, an air pump spaced from the door and from which a substantially volume of air is expelled when the pump is traversed by a vehicle tire, a receiver for the air so expelled, said re-. ceiver including a power developing piston of substantial area, and piston actuated devices including means to release Whichever of the latch means which is latched so that th corresponding conditiom'ng means actuates the door, and means to disconnect the door closing conditioning means from the door so that the door can be automatically opened.

6. A garage door actuating device, comprising a fixed overhead frame with its front end near the door opening and carrying a runner guide, a front reciprocating runner on the guide and connected to the door to move in unison therewith, a door closing cable connected to the runner, a door closing Weight to which one end of the door closing cable is connected to be supported thereby, a front runner latch for holding the door open, a front frame supported pulley about which the weight connected end of the cable passes, a rear frame supported pulley and a second front frame supported pulley about which the cable then passes to form a belt-like loop and place the other end of the cable to the rear of the front pulley, a member secured to the rearwardly passing portion of the cable to the rear of the first named pulley, and a tension spring connecting the said member and the cable end to maintain a taught, belt-like loop about the two pulleys irrespective of closing weight imposed tension.

' front of the extension to lift the door closing weight upon manual opening of the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,246 Korytowski Feb. 20, 1912 1,836,058 Bancroft Dec. 15, 1931 2,009,081 Conklin et a1 July 23, 1935 2,062,015 Purdy Nov. 24, 1936 2,127,376 Purdy Aug. 16, 1938 2,283,577 Roby May 19, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 289,158 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1928 593,542 Germany Mar. 5, 1934 

